Zhong Li sat in the disciplinary room of the Jinzhou yamen, casually tossing the half-severed finger from the table across from her.
Zhen Shi knelt on the ground, looking at the dried-out severed finger in silence.
"Zhen Shi, do I really have to say it so plainly?" Zhong Li narrowed her eyes, watching the reaction of the person opposite her.
Zhen Shi looked up at Zhong Li, sneered, and said, "I was foolish to fall for your and Lu Wu Xie's trap! By arresting me, you can easily control the Xie family!"
Zhong Li was too lazy to talk to her about other things and coldly ordered, "Someone, take off the things on Zhen Shi's hands."
Zhen Shi was startled and tried to resist, but two bailiffs had already pulled off the gloves on her hands. Indeed, her right index finger was clearly missing a piece.
"It seems my guess was correct, the half-severed finger in Xie Xiao Yun's stomach is yours." Zhong Li sneered at Zhen Shi.
Zhen Shi saw that the evidence was conclusive and now that she was in prison, she knew arguing was useless. She could only close her eyes and remain silent.
"Zhen Shi, tell me, why did you kill Xie Xiao Yun?" Zhong Li had seen many prisoners like Zhen Shi; she had plenty of time to wear her down.
Zhen Shi initially kept her eyes closed until Zhong Li's question completely surprised her, "Are you jealous of a teenage girl and killed her by accident?"
Zhen Shi was stunned and looked up at the woman opposite her in disbelief. She hadn't said anything, yet this person seemed to know everything.
"You don't need to be surprised, don't forget who I am. I wouldn't dare to question you if the case wasn't cleared up. So, don't try to lie, just confess honestly?" Zhong Li struck the gavel on the table with a crisp sound, completely shattering Zhen Shi's resolve.
Upon hearing this, Zhen Shi seemed to recall something, her eyes filling with tears. She gave a tragic smile and said, "Temple Judge Zhong, do you really think I wanted to kill someone? I didn't want to, but... *sob*... I am a woman too, I need affection."
Zhong Li looked at Zhen Shi, this time she didn't urge her, but let her cry out all her pent-up emotions.
After about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Zhen Shi composed herself, wiped her tears with her sleeve, and slowly began, "Since Temple Judge Zhong knows everything, you must also know my background?"
Zhong Li nodded.
"I was a mere foot-washing maid. When the Liang family sent me to the Xie residence, I knew I was just a tool to warm the bed for others, or perhaps 'tool' is too kind a word.
During the day, I did laundry and emptied chamber pots. At night, I had to serve the master. At first, I just wanted to do my job well, helping the master with his troubles at night and serving the First Madam during the day. But people change, especially after being favored. They become greedy."
As Zhen Shi spoke, she looked up at the prison ceiling, forcibly suppressing the tears in her eyes, and continued:
"About eight or nine years ago, the master was already in Jinzhou, and the贤王妃 had died. My daughter, Xie Yun Xi, became the继王妃. Although she was a second wife, for someone of concubine birth like her, this was already an immense honor given my status. I even began to think that the master must have me in his heart, even if he didn't allow Xi'er to have children.
Less than a year later, the master brought Xie Xiao Yun back and doted on her excessively. It was only then that I realized all of this was just an illusion."
"Perhaps it truly was your illusion? Xie Xiao Yun was still young then, and I heard that Old Master Xie intended to send her to the Xian Prince's mansion to the heir."
"Illusion? Impossible!" As soon as Zhong Li finished speaking, Zhen Shi quickly interrupted, "I am a woman, I can distinguish between marital affection and familial love. Although Xie Xu never said it, the way he looked at Xie Xiao Yun clearly held lust!"
Zhong Li couldn't help but frown when she heard Zhen Shi use those words to describe it.
She hadn't interacted much with Xie Xu, but based on this case and his attitude towards Qi Shui Shui, she felt that the way Xie Xu looked at Xie Xiao Yun wouldn't be so vulgar.
According to what Lu Wu Xie had told her, Xie Xiao Yun resembled Xie Xu's lover, so his gaze towards Xie Xiao Yun should have been more of helplessness and reluctance.
However, Zhen Shi was blinded by jealousy and would see everyone as an enemy.
"So you killed Xie Xiao Yun?" Zhong Li didn't tell Zhen Shi about Xie Xu's attitude towards Xie Xiao Yun. She felt that someone like Zhen Shi wouldn't understand.
"Otherwise? I absolutely would not let that little slut ruin my relationship with the master!" Zhen Shi said, still looking resentful.
"And then you found a fake Xie Xiao Yun to replace her?" Zhong Li asked again.
Zhen Shi took a deep breath and said, "Yes, I had been planning the murder of Xie Xiao Yun for a long time. I searched throughout the entire Southern Yue Kingdom and found several young girls who looked similar to Xie Xiao Yun. I secretly trained them, taught them how to charm men, and then found the one who looked the most like her to pull off the substitution."
"Why did you do this? Aren't you afraid that the woman you found might one day escape your control?" Zhong Li asked.
"Not afraid!" Zhen Shi sneered, "That little girl can't leave me."
Hearing this, Zhong Li recalled Xie Xiao Yun of the Jia family. She remembered Ma Su had mentioned that Xie Xiao Yun was communicating with people in Jincheng. Could this person be...?
"The fake Xie Xiao Yun has been working for Xie Yun Xi all along?" Zhong Li grasped the key to the entire matter.
Zhen Shi glanced at Zhong Li and said, "Temple Judge Zhong, you are very intelligent, but do you know what? Being an official in Jincheng and being too clear-headed is not beneficial for you at all."
She said with a cold smile, "Since Temple Judge Zhong has examined Xie Xiao Yun's body, you know how she died, right?
Do you know why I drove a nail into her head? That's to fix her soul, so she'll never be reborn as a human. I remember how terrified her eyes were when I approached her with the nail, she even wet herself from fright. You know, she wet herself, haha! https:/
However, this little slut was not at all worry-free, she actually bit my finger! Then I definitely can't let her die comfortably, haha!"
Zhong Li frowned as she looked at the woman in front of her. At this moment, Zhen Shi seemed to have fallen into madness. Where was the gentleness and virtue of a concubine in a wealthy mansion in her words?
"Zhen Shi." Zhong Li watched her laugh wildly. After a long time, when Zhen Shi was breathless from laughing, she interrupted, "Actually, Xie Xu already discovered that you killed Xie Xiao Yun. Do you know that?"
Zhen Shi's hoarse laughter abruptly stopped, and her eyes were filled with surprise as she looked at Zhong Li.
Zhong Li casually took out a painting.
As the scroll was unfurled, Zhen Shi clearly saw the person depicted. "Xie... Xie Xiao Yun? No... This... This handwriting... This painting style..."
Zhong Li looked at the unsigned scroll and said, "Yes, this painting was obtained from Lord Zhang of Anding County. It should be Xie Xiao Yun's dowry. Do you remember what the fake Xie Xiao Yun looked like? Do you think she resembles the person in this painting?"
Zhen Shi swallowed, her breathing began to tremble.
"If I'm not mistaken, this is Xie Xiao Yun painted by Xie Xu, and also Xie Xiao Yun in his heart. Do you think he wouldn't know if you gave him a fake Xie Xiao Yun?" Zhong Li retorted.
Zhen Shi looked at the painting and understood everything. She covered her face and bit her lip tightly, suppressing the sobs from her mouth. Yet, Zhong Li could still see the tears rolling from between her fingers.
"He knows, he knows everything. Why didn't he report it to the authorities? Why didn't he arrest me?"
"Perhaps, he wasn't entirely without feelings for you." Zhong Li could only think of this answer.